Here are a few of the most common side effects that I come across when people first start keto. Frequently the issues relate to dehydration or lack of micronutrients (vitamins) in the body. Make sure that you’re drinking enough water (close to a gallon a day) and eating foods with good sources of micronutrients. To read more on micronutrients, click here >

Imagine that you have found an assortment of keto snacks that are absolutely delicious, and they fit perfectly into your lifestyle. You always have them with you, prepared for hunger to strike. On some days, you won’t feel hungry at all, so there will be no need to snack. On other days, however —due to a variety of factors (e.g., fat loss, stress, lack of sleep) — your appetite will be ravenous. Nothing will seem to satiate you. Cheese, bacon, avocado, peanut butter — nothing will make you feel full.

Fiber isn't just good for keeping your gut moving — scientists feeding diets rich in fiber to mice are discovering that the carbs, which can't be absorbed by the body, can help protect aging brains from some of the damaging chemicals associated with Alzheimer's and reduce inflammation in the gut. They're confident that the health benefits of eating more fiber extend to humans too.
Probably, and there are a few reasons why, Keatley says. For starters, people usually reduce their daily caloric intake to about 1,500 calories a day because healthy fats and lean proteins make you feel fuller sooner—and for a longer period of time. And then there’s the fact that it takes more energy to process and burn fat and protein than carbs, so you're burning slightly more calories than you did before. Over time, this can lead to weight loss.

The more likely result of a ketogenic diet plan, once you've adapted to it, is that you will feel much better and be much healthier. One of the long list of health benefits of a ketogenic diet is that it lowers your fasting blood sugar and insulin levels, helps reverse insulin resistant conditions such as type 2 diabetes, PCOS, fatty liver and Metabolic Syndrome, cools inflammation and in turn, leads to better overall health.

In the first week, many people report headaches, mental fogginess, dizziness, and aggravation. Most of the time, this is the result of your electrolytes being flushed out, as ketosis has a diuretic effect. Make sure you drink plenty of water and keep your sodium intake up.6One of the fathers of keto, Dr. Phinney, shows that electrolyte levels (especially sodium) can become unbalanced with low carb intake.
The remaining calories in the keto diet come from protein — about 1 gram (g) per kilogram of body weight, so a 140-pound woman would need about 64 g of protein total. As for carbs: “Every body is different, but most people maintain ketosis with between 20 and 50 g of net carbs per day,” says Mattinson. Total carbohydrates minus fiber equals net carbs, she explains.
'Cutting out carbs without advice can be dangerous, and can put you at risk of deficiencies in the long-term,' warns Dr Barclay. 'If you're looking to lose weight, burning fat may sound like the key to success, but in actual fact it comes with some risks, and may not be effective in the long term. The ketogenic diet is a short-term solution to a long-term health problem.'

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Keto-Friendly Dark Chocolate — If not sweetened with stevia or another low carb sweetener, make sure it’s at least 80% cocoa content or higher, as the carbs can add up quickly. Here is an example of low carb friendly chocolate that you can try. You can also make your own by mixing melted coconut oil with cocoa powder and your favorite low carb sweetener(s).

All I can say is WOW! I am a week in on this Keto way of eating and came across this simple recipe. Gotta admit, I didn’t think I would like it…I LOVE IT! So easy to make…took me 20 minutes total! It was light, moist and delicious. I used one small loaf pan, doubled the ingredients and made the regular one and the cheese mix in. Can’t wait to share the rest with my co-workers…we are doing this together. Will be back to check for other recipes. Thank you!

While healthy fats are a keto mainstay, they're not the only thing you need: "It's important to make sure you're getting plenty of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients when observing the keto diet," Sugiuchi explains. Seaweed snacks, she says, are a salty and crunchy way to score some extra nutrients and can satisfy any crunchy/salty/carby cravings.
The day before admission to hospital, the proportion of carbohydrate in the diet may be decreased and the patient begins fasting after his or her evening meal.[18] On admission, only calorie- and caffeine-free fluids[36] are allowed until dinner, which consists of "eggnog"[Note 8] restricted to one-third of the typical calories for a meal. The following breakfast and lunch are similar, and on the second day, the "eggnog" dinner is increased to two-thirds of a typical meal's caloric content. By the third day, dinner contains the full calorie quota and is a standard ketogenic meal (not "eggnog"). After a ketogenic breakfast on the fourth day, the patient is discharged. Where possible, the patient's current medicines are changed to carbohydrate-free formulations.[18]
For another science-based resource on ketogenic diets, I highly recommend visiting the site that Raphael Sirtoli and his team over at Break Nutrition have put together. They have good content about low carb and ketogenic diets, and they offer more information on how to kick-start a ketogenic diet, measure your ketones and there's a great post on the benefits of ketogenic diets for inflammation.

Chocolate and avocados are a strangely fantastic combination. Adding avocado to dessert-type recipes gives them a smooth, silky texture without a pronounced flavor. That’s certainly the case with this pudding, which is crazy easy to make. Just add cocoa powder, avocado, stevia, vanilla extract and salt to a bowl and mix. Easy? Yes. Tasty? Also yes.

With intermittent fasting, the whole goal is to burn off excess fat, right? Watch how you feel when you exercise. Do you feel best when you exercise after eating or if you exercise while fasting? Watch if your legs feel heavy or if you tire too easily. Some people do well with eating first, while some love that feeling of exercising when they have fasted and having to eat afterwards.

This two-day keto meal plan comes from a registered dietitian who prescribes the diet for clients who are looking to reach a variety of health goals. Pegah Jalali, MS, RD, CDN, is an adjunct professor at New York University, works at the NYU Langone Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, and is a private practice dietitian at Middleberg Nutrition, a New York City health and wellness practice.
The ketogenic diet is indicated as an adjunctive (additional) treatment in children and young people with drug-resistant epilepsy.[25][26] It is approved by national clinical guidelines in Scotland,[26] England and Wales[25] and reimbursed by nearly all US insurance companies.[27] Children with a focal lesion (a single point of brain abnormality causing the epilepsy) who would make suitable candidates for surgery are more likely to become seizure-free with surgery than with the ketogenic diet.[9][28] About a third of epilepsy centres that offer the ketogenic diet also offer a dietary therapy to adults. Some clinicians consider the two less restrictive dietary variants—the low glycaemic index treatment and the modified Atkins diet—to be more appropriate for adolescents and adults.[9] A liquid form of the ketogenic diet is particularly easy to prepare for, and well tolerated by, infants on formula and children who are tube-fed.[5][29]
The good news is that snacks are totally allowed (and I're not just talking about carrot sticks.) There are plenty of packaged options out there designed for keto fans. FATBAR is one of them. These snack bars have 200 calories, 16 grams of fat, and four grams of net carbs. They're also plant-based and are made with almond or cashew butter, cocoa butter, coconut, pea protein, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds.
Raw Coconut Butter — This is made from blended coconut meat, and provides us with a delicious way to get plenty of coconut fat without missing out on our favorite coconut flavors. Make sure the coconut butter you find has no added sugar — and, most importantly, don’t overdo it. Coconut butter is packed with calories which can slow your weight loss.
Avocados are excellent sources of monounsaturated fats, which can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke by reducing your bad cholesterol levels, according to the American Heart Association. You probably already add slices of avocado to your salads and omelets, but have you tried ‘em solo? Langer suggests taking half of an avocado, drizzling it with olive oil and a bit of lemon juice, and sprinkling sea salt on top. Then dig right in.
Think about what’s happening. Your cells are resisting insulin, causing your body to make a lot more. With all this extra insulin in your blood, you could experience low blood sugars. This is called hypoglycemia, a word made from hypo (low) and glycemia (glucose in the blood). Hypoglycemia is caused by too much insulin in the blood and is a prediabetic symptom. Signs of hypoglycemia include cravings for carbs and sweets, being irritable, moody or depressed, having vision problems, being hungry or dizzy, and the list goes on and on. Your brain is the first organ to feel the effects of low blood sugars.

This week we’re introducing a slight fast. We’re going to get full on fats in the morning and fast all the way until dinner time. Not only are there a myriad of health benefits to this, it’s also easier on our eating schedule (and cooking schedule). I suggest eating (rather, drinking) your breakfast at 7am and then eating dinner at 7pm. Keeping 12 hours between your 2 meals. This will help put your body into a fasted state.

Keto-Friendly Dark Chocolate — If not sweetened with stevia or another low carb sweetener, make sure it’s at least 80% cocoa content or higher, as the carbs can add up quickly. Here is an example of low carb friendly chocolate that you can try. You can also make your own by mixing melted coconut oil with cocoa powder and your favorite low carb sweetener(s).

Reduced hunger. Many people experience a marked reduction in hunger on a keto diet. This may be caused by an increased ability of the body to be fueled by its fat stores. Many people feel great when they eat just once or twice a day, automatically ending up doing a form of intermittent fasting. This saves both time and money, while also speeding up weight loss.

Keto Smoothies and Shakes — Some of our favorite keto smoothies are the Peanut Butter Caramel Milkshake, Blueberry Banana Bread Smoothie, McKeto Strawberry Milkshake, Cucumber Spinach Smoothie, Blackberry Chocolate Shake, and Keto Tropical Smoothie. Feel free to add your favorite low-carb protein powder to your shake or smoothie to help you meet your protein needs and build muscle.
With intermittent fasting, the whole goal is to burn off excess fat, right? Watch how you feel when you exercise. Do you feel best when you exercise after eating or if you exercise while fasting? Watch if your legs feel heavy or if you tire too easily. Some people do well with eating first, while some love that feeling of exercising when they have fasted and having to eat afterwards.
Dinner: In a small sauce pan bring 2-3 cups of water to the boil. Cook a large egg in rolling boil for 5 minutes, then transfer to ice bath (a bowl with cold water and ice cubes in it). Wash and spin dry butter lettuce, top with sliced avocado and hemp seed. Serve soft boiled egg with cherry tomatoes, butter lettuce salad and mayonnaise as dressing.
Keto recipes that include nachos?! Oh yes. You’ll begin by making the fat head tortilla chips first. Did I mention you’ll use two types of cheese for this step? Delicious. Next, you’ll load them up with a meaty sauce and finish them off with your favorite toppings, like guac, salsa or sour cream. While these make a delicious snack, they’re frankly filling enough to share as a meal.

"Sunflower seeds are a great snack option whether you follow a keto diet or not," says registered dietitian Katey Davidson, M.S., R.D. Although all sunflower seeds are an excellent source of healthy unsaturated fats, protein, and vitamin E, many companies use flavorings to season their products which can be high in both salt and sugar, says Davidson. She recommends Terrasoul Superfoods because they aren't flavored or salted. And with only 6 grams of carbs and 1 gram of sugar (per one 1/4 cup), you won't have to worry about these seeds throwing you out of your hard-earned ketosis. However, Davidson says you'll want to aim to eat just a handful of seeds, which is considered a serving. (Related: This keto smoothie recipe is delicious even without a ton of fruit.)

In terms of weight loss, you may be interested in trying the ketogenic diet because you’ve heard that it can make a big impact right away. And that’s true. “Ketogenic diets will cause you to lose weight within the first week,” says Mattinson. She explains that your body will first use up all of its glycogen stores (the storage form of carbohydrate). With depleted glycogen, you’ll drop water weight. While it can be motivating to see the number on the scale go down (often dramatically), do keep in mind that most of this is water loss initially.